a. To provide basic information to new and existing parent managers to allow them to successfully lead a team through the season.

b. SSC has bare minimum needs for oEDP League Infour parent managers and we are grateful that you will take care of those tasks. However, there are numerous ways for you to significantly better the soccer experience for the kids on your team and we hope you choose to do so this year. This meeting outlines the bare minimum as well as extra credit stuff.

c. SSC has more than 400 kids participating in travel this year and 32 total teams this year

c. To teach our children the importance of teamwork, and the responsibilities and rewards that come with commitment to a team

d. To provide high quality, professional soccer training so players can develop to the best of their ability

e. To enable our children to develop soccer skills, experience, and a passion for the game that will permit them to reach their highest potential

III. Role of the Professional Head Coach

a. SSC hires professional head coaches for every travel team. The professional head coaches work for several different companies or operate as independent trainers. The professional head coaches run the 2 mandatory practices per week and are responsible to participate in approximately 80% of a team's league games. During games, professional head coaches should make all soccer decisions. However, nearly every professional head coaches will be assigned to at least 2 SSC teams. Therefore, league game conflicts occur. We ask that parent managers identify those conflicts when the league schedule is announced in early September and work together to make sure your professional head coaches to attend the necessary game(s). SSC may also be able to obtain a backup professional head coaches in the event your professional head coaches has conflict. SSC will pay for 50 professional head coach hours per season for u11 and older teams and 45 hours for u10 and younger teams. It is possible that your team will go over that time budget in which case the team will be responsible for paying the amount over the allotted hours. The professional head coaches typically charge between $70 and $85 per hour.

b. Professional head coaches organize and run all scheduled practices

c. Professional head coaches determine game strategy

d. Professional head coaches determine starting lineups and playing positions for players

e. Professional head coaches make the substitutions during the game

f. Professional head coaches are the Primary Voice of instruction and strategy to the team

g. Professional head coaches assess players during and at season end

h. Professional head coaches are limited to 50 hours per season/per team

i. Time over 50 hours for u11 and older teams and 45 hours for u10 and younger teams will be billed to the parent managers

IV. General Parent Managers Responsibilities

a. Ensure team and players have the best possible soccer experience adhering to the SSC Mission Statement and League Rules.

b. Parent managers assist the professional head coaches, as needed, at practices and games in managing the children, not assisting in soccer decisions.

c. The parent manager is a secondary voice of instruction and should not circumvent the professional head coaches’ view

d. The parent manager is the primary voice regarding all other communication and scheduling with the team, SSC, and others

e. Schedule parent chaperones to attend every practice. You can assign dates alphabetically to each family. Alternatively, you can ask for weekday volunteers and cover Saturday practices or any other method. However, a chaperone is required at all practices. A chaperone's primary responsibility is to make sure the kids get to and from practice safely and otherwise act an additional adult at practice.

f. The parent manager reacts to/manages any player injuries. All injuries should be communicated to the parent ASAP. Serious injuries should also be communicated to the Director of Parent Managers and SSC President.

g. The parent manager monitors substitution/playing time and insures that the team is run in accordance with SSC Mission statement

i. (U9-U11 teams) players should receive relatively equal amounts of game time with all players playing at least half of each game. Playing time above the minimum is at the discretion of the team’s coaching staff.

ii. (U12-U14 teams) players should receive reasonable amounts of playing time each game to ensure a player is continuing to develop his or her skills. Each player should play at least twenty-five percent of the game.

h. The parent manager assesses the professional head coaches during and at the end of the Season. Any issues the parent manager or any player has with the professional head coach should be communicated as soon as possible to SSC's Directors of Coaching, Director of Parent Managers, Director of Trainers, and SSC President.

V. General In-Season Responsibilities

a. Communicate with the team regularly. The more your team knows, the more organized the team will be and the more fun they will have.

d. Bring Money for referee. Checks will be distributed soon. Keep all of the cash in your coaching binder and have smaller bills of $10 and $5 depending upon your referee fee. Referees NEVER have change to make for you and they must be paid in cash.

e. Have opposing team contact info

f. Arrive at game site 45 minutes before kick-off. If Home Game, make sure Field is prepared (Goals Secured, Corner Flags up, and Fans situated 15 feet from playing field). Franklin and middle school flags and j-spikes in the Franklin locker (white "deck box" by fence, near swings). Memorial locker (white "deck box" by wall) contains flags and j-spikes for 3 memorial fields. Glenside locker contains equipment for all other fields.

g. Identify Game Sage Rep and Parent to cover Sideline (Flag)

h. Introduce yourself to opposing team and referee

i. Assist professional head coaches in warming up team, if necessary

j. Assist Referee with Player Check-in (hand out Player and Coach Cards)

k. Pay Referee

IX. Specific In-Game Role

a. Allow the professional head coaches freedom to coach the game as he or she sees fit

e. If Last Home Game of day, collect flags and Goal Secured items are retuned to locker or shed in good and CLEAN condition

f. Cleanup all of your stuff (bottles and trash)

g. Record Game in MCYSA/MNJYSA website(*) w/ Ref comments

XI. Specific End of Season Responsibilities

a. Thank players and parents for effort and involvement

b. Recap with the professional head coach regarding the season

c. Communicate with parents and players about training options between season

d. Remind Parents how to get feedback on Player development (usually provided by the Trainer)

e. Provide assessment of Trainer to SSC Directors of Coaching

f. Provide any other feedback to SSC President and Director of Parent Managers

g. Inform players and parents of next steps (see you in March/August)

h. Towards the end of Spring pick Sportsmanship Award winner

XII. Advantages Using the SSC Website to Communicate

a. Easy access to practices info w/ Chaperones

b. Complete games schedule with Field Location/Address

c. Emails are generated automatically if games/practices loaded

d. Creates a common repository of Team schedule and information for players, parents, coaches, trainers, and league officials

e. Enter it once and its done

f. Provides access to LeagueAthletics & SI Play Mobile APP

g. SSC Strongly recommends all Games and Practices be listed on the SSC website

XIII. Cancelation of Practice and or Game

a. Soccer is played in the rain and in near freezing conditions

b. Field Conditions are the major driver in Cancelations. More Turf in NJ/Summit = less cancelations

c. HOME

i. SSC Field Scheduler is the only one who determines if field is playable

ii. SSC website updated weekdays 2pm, Saturday 7am, Sunday 9am

iii. If field is open, plan on playing

iv. Only Referee can cancel a game if fields are open within 2 hours of game start time (still needs to be paid)

v. If game is canceled, please communicate cancelation to team, opponent and League Rep ASAP

vi. If game is canceled reschedule games ASAP

vii. Coach can cancel practice but need to give sufficient notice to all (Trainer will be paid if cancelation is within 2 hours)

d. Away

i. If opponent field is CLOSED and game canceled inform team ASAP. Be accommodating to opponent coach in rescheduling

ii. Only Referee can cancel a game if fields are open within 2 hours of game start time (still needs to be paid)

iii. Show up for games even if you don’t have enough players

XIV. Rescheduling Games

a. Responsibility of home team

b. Should use Google Docs link to find 3 options

c. Communicate options to Opponent Coach

d. Once day/time/field is determined, notify via email (Home Team, Away Team, U-Age/Sex/Flight, New Date, Time and Field) SSC Field Scheduler, SSC League Rep for MNJYSA or MCYSA and Head of Coaching

e. Game is only CONFIRMED once we receive confirmation from League

f. Make sure Confirmation is communicated to opposing Coach.

g. Mid-NJ requires games to be schedule AT LEAST 9 DAYS in advance. MCYSA requires 14 days for PCN’s not yet scheduled.

h. Update SSC website with any changes and communicate to Team

XV. Referee(s) doesn’t show after 15 minutes

a. If U9-10, can use non certified volunteers. If no volunteers, Home coach does first half and away coach does second half

b. U11+ can’t play game w/o referee

c. Laura Madden schedules games and works with Referee Assignor

XVI. EXTRA CREDIT

a. Schedule more than 1 tournament.

i. You will have to collect money and do more organization, but it will be well worth it for your team to schedule multiple tournaments. Tournaments are fantastic for the competition and the social fun the kids have between games and at the pizza restaurants that tend to follow these games. I was a parent coach for a u11 SSC team last year that played in approximately 10 tournaments in addition to league play last year between the Fall, Winter and Spring. My u9 team played 3 tournaments in the Fall and Spring. A committed team would love to play more soccer and the coaches can make this happen with only minimal effort.

b. Schedule scrimmages.

i. Find a local team at your team's level and start organizing. Laura Madden will publish a field space availability spreadsheet after league games are scheduled and then go for it. Or play at the other team's field. Ask your trainer for another trainer's name and they can serve as the referee for a small cash fee.

c. Schedule a third practice per week or an additional practice per month.

i. Seek additional field space from Laura Madden, confirm your team is interested, get your trainers' schedule and put it together. The teams who practice more will develop more.

d. Schedule preseason practices.

e. Schedule inter-team pickup games.

i. It's a beautiful day and the afternoon is open. Send an email to your team that you have cones and a ball and play 3 v 3 or more if a few kids are available.

f. Act as a soccer cheerleader for your team.

i. Send soccer YouTube clips to your team. Tell them what games are on TV. Schedule a team outing to a Sky Blue or Red Bulls game. Assign soccer homework to the kids asking them to find out more about the team they were named after. Get the kids engaged in the game.

g. Schedule winter training sessions.

i. More information will be provided later in the season, but please note that this process starts as early as October.

h. Schedule a pizza party or magic fountain social or any other team gathering.

i. Get the kids to bond and strengthen the team.

XVII. Additional Resources

a. You will be added to many soccer emails through your association with the leagues and SSC.

b. All information regarding Coaching Soccer in NJ can be found on web at SSC, NJYS, EDP, MCYSA, or MNJYSA.